"Dane" wrote in message
oups.com...
Actually, I have a question just like this:


I (will) have a centerboard made from iron/steel (weighing
250kg/550lbs).

It will be on a "dinghy" that will mostly stay in the water.

Should I coat it with epoxy, and then paint it (with "normal"paint),
coat it just with epoxy, just with paint, or which solution you think
would be the best?

Regards,

Andre


I had a boat with an iron centerboard that was kept in the water all sumer
on the great lakes (U.S. fresh water).

I actually saw the centerboard exactly twice during the 10 years I owned it.
Once was when I first owned it, it was about 25 years old and I was re-doing
the bottom (peel the gel coat) - the iron was pitted some, there was no sign
of any kind of coating, but there was nothing growing on it. And once more,
about 10 years later, after it had gotten stuck in the trunk. I didn't see
any growth on it then either.

I assume that, in general, plants need light to grow, and it's pretty dark
up in the centerboard trunk.

I would suggest that some epoxy to retard corrosion would be in order. I
used some made by Interlux specifically for iron on the keel - it held up
quite well. (I never put anything on the centerboard)

--
Geoff
The Sea Hawk at Wow Way d0t Com
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